Across the Tracks
by Everything's Magic -92
Summary: Over on the west side of town lived a lonely girl. On the outside she appeared to be happy, with a boyfriend, a loving brother, and wealthy parents. No one knew of the struggles Taylor was facing until one fateful day when she crossed the tracks...
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N : This is my first fanfic so I'm sure it will be a little rough. Sorry in advance for any errors. I have the next chapter ready but i'd like to see some reviews first before i put it up just to see if anyone likes it. **_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders, only the characters you do not recognize. **_

_**I was tired and had no ambition to go anywhere but on my bed, in my room. I knew Jacob would be around soon, he could barely spend ten minutes without knowing where I was and what it was that I was doing. I suppose I should feel grateful that I have someone that cares so much about me. All of my friends are jealous. Jacob is quite handsome and his family has a ton of money. My own mother can't tell me enough how lucky I am to have a nice boy like that. I'm sure she has different reasons for being happy about me being tied to that family though. Sometimes, however, I just need time to myself. Every day I feel like I'm being smothered; like the world could come crashing down on top of me any second. At times I feel alone and even find myself questioning why it is that I try at all. Everyone thinks I lead a perfect, privileged life, but I couldn't even begin to tell you how wrong they really are. **_

**"By mother, bye father," I called from the doorway, hoping desperately for a quick escape. Luckily my wish was granted as neither responded. **

**It was eight and I was headed towards the drive-in with Jacob and a few of his friends. He had called earlier and after I had told him my plans of having a nice quiet night at home he went on a total rampage. Not having the energy to fight, I gave in and told him I'd be ready around eight. As Jacob sped around the turns I felt a knot form in the pit of my stomach. It was obvious that he had been drinking.**

**"Jacob, maybe you should slow down a bit?" I half questioned, half suggested. I didn't want him to feel like I was telling him what to do. He hated that. He and his buddies laughed a little. **

**"Don't worry, babe, I've always got control." **_**No kidding, **_**I thought. It was always his way or no way. By the time we rolled into the drive-in it was packed. Kids from all over town were mingled together, which could only mean one thing, tension. The Drive-in was the only place in all of Tulsa that was considered neutral ground. Both the west side and east side kids, the Socs and Greasers gathered here. It was no means a truce; it was just an understanding – no fighting while on drive-in property. I didn't mean you couldn't take it outside, which seemed to happen without a doubt every single night. I, Jacob and the rest of our friends are all from the west side. It's nice, I guess, clean and huge mansions litter the landscape. But beyond that, it's nothing special. The rules are strict and if you want to belong you have no choice but to conform. Sports scholarships and new business ventures are something to brag about, but domestic abuse and adultery were never spoken aloud. These sinful things happened more often that you could see on the surface. My distaste for the girls who spent hours at the mirror or hundreds on clothes couldn't be any greater, but there was no chance I could voice my opinion. Heck, I've been guilty of some of these things in my seventeen years of life. This was the life I was born into therefore I had no choice but to live it. **

**There were so many people in the Drive-in that night I lost sight of Jacob only two minutes after entering. **_**He probably won't even notice I'm gone, until he feels like sticking his tongue down someone's throat. **_**I decided to grab a coke and find somewhere to sit before the show started. Being alone I found myself feeling a little nervous. I accidently bumped into some boy and he spilled his drink. If I hadn't darted through the crowd before he could see me I'm sure I would have had trouble. It was hard to find a boy in all of Tulsa that was truly respectful to women, or at least I haven't found any. The Soc boys were just pigheaded and dominant, and the Greaser boys were only after one thing. After waiting in the line for more than twenty minutes I realized that finding a seat would be nearly impossible as the show had already started. I stumbled around in the dark until I saw the bright red glow of the exit sign. I was going to have to walk home as it was unlikely that I'd ever find Jacob in this mess. Unfortunately I realized my mistake too late. **

**"Hey there babe, what you doin walking all by your lonesome," I didn't recognize the voice but I was more than certain that these boys were from the east end. I could see about four outlines in the dark, all on the rather large side. **

**"Walking home, if you'll just let me through," Thinking it was best if I didn't show any fear, "It's a mighty fine night out." I tried to pretend that they didn't frighten me but my hands had begun to tremble.**

**"It sure is, and your looking mighty fine as well," the one that was doing the talking began to advance toward me, and my heart felt like it was going to bead right out of my chest. I turned to run but was stopped by a chain link fence. I knew it wasn't safe on the streets this late at night and terror started to creep into my mind. So I screamed as loud as I could. **

**"Help! Help somebody he-"but I was cut off by a large hand covering my mouth and nose. My air was cut off and in my panic I bit down hard on my attacker's hand. He swore and let go but before I had the chance to run I was knocked to the ground by one hard punch to the stomach. I could feel vomit rising up my throat. Someone above me grabbed my hands and another grabbed my feet. I kicked as hard as I could but it was no use. The one doing the talking was now on top of me, ripping away my blouse so only my bra was covering me. Tears were streaming down my face and when I yelled for help again I was momentarily blinded by a smack to the face. **

**"There's no one coming for you, you little bitch, it's just me and you all night long," His words were so damn familiar that I couldn't believe this was my life. His hands were covering my body and his tongue was deep in my mouth. Suddenly I began to feel angry, outraged, why did they ever think that they could do such a thing to me, I had never done anything to them. So the next time the greaser stuck his slimy tongue in my mouth I bit down as hard as I could. I tasted blood instantaneously. He pulled himself off me so fast I thought that I might have a chance to make it out alright, but as he sank to the ground still in shock of his injured tongue I began to feel the full pressure of the others that were holding me down. I couple kicks to the stomach and punches to the head later I began to drift out of consciousness, but not before I hard the sweetest sound of someone coming to my rescue.**

**"Hey! Get the hell off her."**

**Soda's POV**

**Me, Steve, Johnny and my baby brother Ponyboy were on our way home from the show when we heard a blood curdling scream. We ran around the corner to find some Brumly boy bent over with blood spilling out of his mouth. I expected to see one of Shepards boy's as I remembered hearing how a couple of them had ruffled some feathers with Brumly, but to my surprise I found a young looking girl, sprawled on the pavement, with her shirt wide open and a bunch of boys beating on her. Her hair was blonde and wavy, and she was dressed in a classy white blouse and red skirt. Blood and tears were streaming down her face and she looked rather close passing out. **

**"Do something Soda," Pony muttered behind me. I agreed, something had to be done. No girl deserved a beating like this.**

**"Hey, get the hell off her," I yelled as the four of us approached the scene. **

**"That little bitch went and bit half my tongue off," an enraged looking boy spat out, blood still seeping from his mouth. I ran over to the girl and ripped one of the boys away. Steve grabbed the other. Ponyboy and Johnny stood just behind us, ready to jump in if needed. It was four to three so I guess the boys decided they had little chance and took off down the alley. **

**"If I ever see this bitch again I'm gonna kill her," as the last boy rounded the corner he looked back and mumbled slowly, his words slurring together. **

**"I think she passed out..or got knocked out." Steve thought out loud. He was right, her eyes were closed and her breathing was heavy. It wasn't sure what we were supposed to do but figured we couldn't leave her there, all pathetic looking, those boys might be coming back and she would for surely be toast then. **

**"Maybe we should take her to the hospital?" Pony suggested.**

**"No." Pony did get straight A's in school but sometimes I wondered if he had any common sense at all. "We can't because how's it going to look if we bring this beat up girl in there-"**

**"They'll lock us all up in the cooler," Steve added. He gave Pony a solid, are you stupid look. **

**"Well, then what are we gonna do with her?" Soda asked the group. Everyone was quiet for a few seconds before Johnny spoke up. **

**"Maybe we should take her to Bucks; Dally will know what to do, give her a bed or something." It was better than nothing but I wasn't so sure it was a good idea; Dally could be pretty unpredictable at times. Steve agreed.**

**"You really think he's gonna want some beat up Soc in his room, he just got out of the cooler, he aint looking for that kind of action," Steve said with a smirk. "But hey I don't want to be here all night, let's get a move on." So we headed down the street towards Buck's with the girl nestled in my arms. **

**"What the fuck did you boys get yourselves into tonight? Bucks gonna snap if he sees you with that mess in here." Dallas Winston was not your ordinary greaser, he was a lot deeper, and a lot more misunderstood that most. His short years alive had hardened him and at times it seemed like his heart was frozen, apparently being in jail since the tender age of ten did that to a person. **

**"God damn Dally, you really think we'd do this to a girl. Some boy's from the Brumly gang were beatin on up on her. She nearly bit off one of the guys tongue and boy was he bent out of shape, we had to do something." I explained. I had wondered myself why we had helped this Soc, but then again a girl was a girl and they didn't need no boys beatin up on them. Although if it was one of our girls that were lying on ground I'm sure no Soc would even get within five feet.**

**"So why'd you fools bring her here- ooh oh, you thought she could stay here, didn't you? That just what I need, a Soc chick all bent out of shape, layin in my bed. No thank-you."**

**"Come on Dal. She's gonna be hurtin something awful tomorrow, and she aint got nobody else to help her. Just let her sleep in your bed the night and she'll be gone in the morning." Johnny pleaded, he always had a way with Dallas, some kind of connection betweem the boys. Everyone held their breath as Dally let Johnny's word sink in. I sighed with relief when Dal's eyes flickered and softened just the tiniest bit. **

**"Whatever, put her down on the bed over there, don't expect me to walk her home or anything though. Now I'm gonna have to sleep on the god damn hard floor thanks to this broad and you fools" He grumbled. **

**"Thanks Dal," Soda muttered quickly after receiving an impatient glare from Steve, leaving the mysterious girl all alone with Dallas Winston. **


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own The Outsiders.

Was I alive? I couldn't quite tell. The one thing that needed no convincing was that the pain I was feeling was completely real. So then I must be alive. Slowly, I opened my eyes, one feeling a little heavier than the other. My heart skipped a beat as I took in my surroundings. I was laying in a small room with only four walls and a beat up dresser. The bed I was laying on was lumpy; I wouldn't be surprised if it was just a box-spring. The off white color of the wall, accompanied with its share of holes and scratches, was anything but inviting. The air was smoky, the smell of tobacco still lingering. Sitting up was a struggle, but when I looked over to my left what I saw made me leap right out of the bed. _Ohhh, _I groaned. My stomach felt like it had been torn to shreds. A short gasp escaped my lips as I crumpled to the floor, so over come with pain I could hardly breathe.

"Hey, that's not very nice. You should feel real privileged to be sharing a bed with my handsome self. It ain't nice to go insulting people that help you out." I was still hunched over on the floor, feeling unnervingly vulnerable. The boy got up from the bed. It was totally obvious he was a greaser, maybe seventeen or eighteen.

"I..I.." I stammered, not really sure how to respond.

"Don't worry broad, I ain't gonna do nothing to you." I wasn't convinced.

"Where am I?" from the room and the company I was in made me pretty sure I was on the opposite side of the tracks, but I had no clue how deep exactly. There seemed to be a permanent black mark in my memory of the last twelve hours.

"Nowhere you should be Soc." I shuddered at his blunt statement and the hundred percent truth behind it. He was standing across from me now, allowing me to get a better look. He was tall and like just about every other greaser boy his blonde hair was slicked back. He had blue, almost emotionless.

There was no way of knowing the extent of my injuries but I figured my face must be pretty bad off as my one eye continued to droop and my bottom lip felt puffy. My ribs were what hurt the most though. It was like a constant stab to the stomach every time I took in a breath.

"Well... umm, would you have a phone that I could use to call my brother so he can come get me...wherever I am." I felt stupid as soon as the words left my mouth. Bradley walking into greaser territory was like a mouse following a piece of cheese right into the trap. The boy snorted and so I guessed he thought it was a dumb idea too.

"Unless you want your brother's ass kicked, I suggest finding another way out of here." I was scared and hurting and sure as hell couldn't stop the flow of tears leaving my eyes even if I tried.

Dallas's POV

How did he get himself into this situation? He was sure that at any moment the cops were gonna bust down his door at Buck's and haul his ass into the cooler for beatin' this Soc girl. He'd blame Curtis; it was his fault that he was stuck with this broad. Shit he probably would have left her on the street corner. She was sobbing now and it was starting to irritate him. But what could he do. He doubted she would let him carry her down the hallway and out of Bucks, every move forward he made he could see her tiniest reaction, an almost cringe. He wasn't surprised, it was a typical Soc attitude to stick up your nose at those who were less fortunate, even when you were lying, beaten up and helpless on one of those less fortunate's floor.

"Look you better just hush up broad. It ain't my fault you're in this mess. You and that short skirt of your's were askin for it." For just a short moment Dallas thought he could see her eyes go from the icy blue that were to a fiery red. In an effort to protect her dignity the girl grabbed onto the bed and hoisted herself upwards while letting out a very breathy, "I did not ask for it," but then fell clumsily back to the floor. The tears began to fall again. Just then there was a slight knock to the door. Dally hoped to god that it was Soda retrieving his lost puppy but when he swung it open he was annoyed to see Sylvia leaning against the doorsill. Without looking at him she bounced into the room until coming to a standstill the middle.

"Who the fuck is this broad." Was all she said, staring down at the Soc lying on the floor. "Don't know," was all Dally really could say, after all he didn't even know her name.

"You were supposed to meet me last night at the..." Sylvia whipped around and took one step towards the girl and without any warning gave her swift kick to the ribs. The girl let out a squeal and sank lower to the floor her breath becoming shallower. "Boy's not good enough for you on the west side."

Taylor's POV

Holding in my breath I looked over, hoping whoever was at the door would just turn around and leave, but no such luck. One of the trashiest looking girls I had ever seen walked right into the middle of the room. A few seconds later the girl made eye contact with me and I knew she was enraged, maybe because the two of them were together. I didn't have any more time to dwell on the possibilities as she delivered me one hard boot to the stomach. Blinking through the pain and tears I looked up to where the greaser now had the girl pinned to the wall.

"What the hell is wrong with you, are you crazy?" he grumbled, inches away from her face.

"Did you do that to her," the girl retorted, motioning to me.

"No," he snorted.

"Well why the hell is she in your room?"

"The better question is why the fuck are you in here," and with that he grabbed her arm and threw her out into the smoky hallway. Even after the door was slammed shut I could still hear her cussing up a storm. _I have to get out of here,_ I thought. So for the third time in ten minutes I attempted to hoist myself up, but it proved to be more difficult than before. I tried to push through the pain but I felt my body weaken from the strain. Just as I was about to collapse I felt a pair of large hands under my arms pulling me upwards. A few painful moments later and I was situated back on the bed.

"Sylvia is a bitch sometimes," the boy said. I took it as an apology for the girl's actions. I guessed that was as close to one as I'd ever get. I didn't say anything and a few silent minutes passed.

"Look I gotta get to some places, since you can't move or nothing I guess you can sleep it off for a bit. You'd better be gone before I get back," The clock read 7:36 am; _A few hours of rest wouldn't hurt._

"Okay," I attempted to project my voice as strong and defiant as I could but instead to my dismay it came out a low cracked mumble.

Taylor watched as he pulled a black shirt of his head, covering his muscles. No doubt muscles he had sculpted during one of his many prison stays. He walked to the door, seemed to hesitate but in the end turned to face her. Even as he spoke it seemed as though he was unsure of his words.

"If anyone tried to bother you, you tell'em that Dallas Winston will be on their ass, ok girl."

I hadn't thought about the dangers of being left alone and was momentarily reassuref by Dallas's words but that reassurance quickly left me when the door slammed shut. I was all alone, again. It shouldn't really bother me. I mean how many times had Jacob ditched me to hang out with his buddies. God knows what they were up to. My own parents had been leaving me and Bradley home alone since we were kids. They'd leave to the country club for the weekend or to one of their friend's cabins. My mother and father would probably be wondering where I had gotten to, but was unlikely it would be genuine concern. Bradley was a different story and I cringed thinking how worried he would be. Realizing that being alone was what had gotten me into this situation in the first place I pulled the blanket over my head and closed my eyes in an effort to attempt the foolish, "If I can't see them, they can't see me," phrase.

Dallas's POV

He shook his head, hard. Why had he told that broad to give them his name. Tying himself to her was bad idea and nobody had to tell him twice. He walked down the stairs to Buck's main level and was met by the fiery eyes of Sylvia. They screamed craziness. Dally found himself hoping subconsciously that the girl would make it out alive.

Taylor's POV

By the time I opened my eyes it was already past eight. It was obviously not a good idea to walk home alone, my fresh injuries were a constant reminder, but it wasn't like I had any other option. It was going to be hard enough to explain to my parents where all these bruises were from, I didn't need to be missing for two days in a row. I pulled myself up off the bed, thankful that the pain had subsided a little. Walking down the long hallway, down the staircase and into an unfamiliar setting I continued towards the exit sign, focussing all my attention on the door. As I made my way out of the building I was sure I heard a "don't you come back bitch," come somewhere from the back.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks to everyone who is reading my story and reviewed :) I know there's a lot of violence and such but things will eventually get better for Taylor. The original characters will be more frequent in the coming chapters. I've never done a fanfic before and I'm trying my best! Any and all suggestion are welcome!

Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders.

Warning: There is rape and violence briefly described.

It only took me a few minutes to get to the bus stop and thankfully I was lucky enough to not meet one person on the street. There were a few heading home on the bus, but none looked threatening. Sighing, I ran my fingers through my knotted hair. How was I going to explain this to my parents? Would they even care that I got jumped. They'd probably just blame me and I could almost agree. If I hadn't left the drive-in alone this whole mess could have been avoided. I knew I looked like a mess and a few nervous glances from the other passengers confirmed this. Within ten minutes I was being dropped off at the bus terminal, about a two minutes walk from my home. As I approached the driveway my heartbeat began to speed up and my palms became clammy. As I moved forward it felt like my feet gained weight with every step. Our house was a white two story with a flashy, bright red door. I had never been fond of that door. I felt like it attracted too much attention. That was mother's aim though; she always wanted everyone to know that she only had the best. The best house, the best husband and the best children, to her dismay she only had two of those three wishes. She had made an error somewhere along the line, and to this day she would never let me forget that I was that error. I wasn't the prettiest girl in my school; I didn't get the best grades either. Once when I was a little she had me enrolled in dance class. On the day of our recital I was floating on cloud nine, just ecstatic for everyone to see all my hard work. My whole family was coming including my ever so busy father and a squirming little Bradley. Dressed in a bright pink tutu and a white body suit I felt like the most special girl out there. There were five of us and I was smack dab in the middle, a request from my mother of course. When the music began I lifted my arms and started to twirl, everything went downhill from there and the audience found out I, Taylor Ford, daughter of graceful and elegant Patricia Ford, had two left feet. It was so dead quiet that I was able to hear the small gasp that escaped my mother's throat. After the routine concluded and I left the stage I caught a glimpse of my mother also leaving the auditorium. She was so ashamed of me that she couldn't even sit through the rest of the show. Since then she has put all her effort into Bradley. He's attended football camp for as long as I can remember and when he made the team last week we all went out for supper and celebrated like it was some brilliant achievement. Mom couldn't stop blubbering about it for days. Don't get me wrong, I'm so proud and happy for Bradley I'm just not as fond of the football team as I am of brother.

I also couldn't stop thinking about Dallas Winston. Who was he and how in the world did I end up in his room? Did he save me? I was pretty sure I heard a different voice before I passed out and Dallas didn't really seem like knight in shining armour type. He seemed a bit bothered by me. I also couldn't deny that he was handsome and not in the typical Soc way. Shaking my head I continued onwards.

I took my time, not really excited to face my parents. I knew as soon as I walked through the door and seen their faces I knew I had been right to be apprehensive about entering

"Where in the hell have you been?" My father snarled deeply as he got up from his armchair, moving towards me. I heard my brothers shoes squeak across the hallway above my head and prayed silently that he would hurry up. My mother also stood up to from where she was sitting.

"We have been worried sick. What have you done to yourself?" She looked slightly relieved to see me but her face was still scrunched up into that a disappointed scowl that I had become accustomed to over the years. As if I had done this to myself on purpose.

"Tell me where you have been at?" he demanded again. His face was cold and hard, no loving emotions were present.

"I got lost," I stammered, unable to think up a better story.

"You have got to be kidding. You don't care about your family you've got here, worrying about you. No you'd rather be out with those white trash boys." He spat out as he shoved me against the wall. I cringed from the pain in my ribs. I could hear my mother let out a slight yelp, but she did nothing but turn on her heals and move into the safety of the kitchen.

"I'm sor-"I tried shuffle out of his warpath but he shoved me hard against the wall again.

"You girl, are never going to learn, are you?"

"Dad? Is that Taylor?" a voice from behind my father. Immediately he dropped his large hands from my shoulders, muttered a yes and walked out the front door. My father was never rough with me when Bradley was around and he never had that look of hatred when addressing his son. I felt my knees go weak and I let out a slow strangled breath as I sank to the floor.

"Taylor, are you okay? What the hell happened?" Bradley asked with concern as he gently grabbed my chin to inspect my bruises. Tears formed in my eyes.

"I was outside the drive-in and then-and then these boys came out of nowhere and..." I hadn't thought about it all that much since this morning. What I was really trying to do was block it out of my memory entirely.

"They just beat you up, they attached a girl!" by this time he was back on his feet, fists clenched dangerously together. "Greasers?" I nodded, fearing that if I tried to speak I would be able to stop myself from outright sobbing.

He was halfway out of the porch muttering something about payback when I stood up and let out a loud sob. He stopped and looked back at me.

"It won't do any good Bradley; I don't remember what they looked like."

He seemed to think about it for a moment and then headed back to where I was standing limply, enveloping me in his strong body. Again my tears couldn't be stopped, spilling onto his chest. Even though I was a year older than Bradley he was a good bit taller than me.

"Don't worry; I'll never let anyone hurt you again." I only wished what he said was the true.

_5 days later. _

Since the day I was jumped I've stayed pretty much holed up in my bedroom. No one really seemed to mind though. The only thing my mother asked me was if I wanted potatoes or noodles for supper. I mumbled an "I don't care," and retreated back to my bedroom. My father on the other hand had said nothing nor even looked in my direction. Bradley came in a few times to ask if I was feeling any better. He was also anxious to know if I remembered who it was that jumped me. I answered no to both questions. Jacob called a few times, asked if I was okay, but nothing really else. Said everyone was wondering why I wasn't at school. That was the main reason I was hiding out. My face still looked terrible and I didn't feel like being paraded around the halls like a zoo animal. I'm guessing that's probably the same reason my parents never said anything about me not going to school this week. They didn't want it to get out that I had gotten into some kind of trouble.

At the moment though I was busy applying cover up under my eye in an effort to disguise the bruise that still remained. Jacob had called this morning and told me that there was going to be a big party and that I was coming. I didn't even try to argue this time.

It turned out that the party was a flop, or at least it was for me. Everyone was drunk and acting like idiots. My friend Mae, who I'd come with, had already left with a snobby boy named Thomas. He had been hanging over her the entire night, constantly fetching her new drinks. I made no effort to stop this because Mae had once told me that it was more fun when you were drunk. I wasn't so sure, I didn't like the idea of something else controlling my brain, but then again I had never tried it out. Bradley probably wouldn't be pleased if he knew I was drinking either. I happened to think it was a bit hypocritical though because I know for a fact that he has brought a few drunken girls back home. By two the part was dying down, as all the beer had been drunk. Jacob was hung over my shoulder, completely wasted.

"Time to gone home now, babe." His words were slurred together. I wondered how we were getting home as everyone I'd come with was either drunk or close to it.

"Yeah. Can I have the keys, I'll drive everyone." Jacob had never let me drive his car before now so I had little hope that he would let me tonight.

"That's a good, good one Tay, Danny will drive." His laughter boomed throughout the pool house. Apparently my suggestion was just hilarious as he continued to laugh. "No girls ever going to drive my car. It's too powerful for 'em" He was being an asshole and all I wanted to do was get home alive.

"Jacob, Danny's been drinking..I haven't." It was more than I would usually push and from the change in his expression I knew it hadn't been a good idea. He took a step forward and grabbed hold of my wrists with so much pressure I yelped quietly.

"I said Danny will drive, do you got it Taylor." I could feel his spit hit my face as he spoke. Without saying a word I nodded my head up and down. My courage had suddenly evaporated. "Good, get it the back seat."

I made my over to the mustang, still unsure if I should get in or make a run for it. My ribs were still tender so it was unlikely I'd be able to outrun Jacob. Plus they were taking me home, and it was only 5 short minutes away. I could suck it up for 5 minutes.

Once we started driving I instantly regretted my choice. Every bend in the road made it feel as though we were on a roller coaster. I fought with my stomach to stay calm.

"So Taylor, you see those greasers you jumped your pretty little behind yet?"

"No," I replied curtly. I had already told all of them that I didn't want to talk about it. I didn't remember much.

"Well when we find them were gonna have a good ol rumble." Danny announced. The rest of the boys whooped in agreement.

"No one mess's with my girl." The statement should have made me feel safe, secure and all warm inside, but it didn't. In the back seat there was me, Jacob in the middle, and Wayne on the other side of Jacob. Jacob had slung around me and the other arm was stretched across my leg. As we rounded another bend he turned his face towards mine and instead of meeting it I turned and looked out the window. His arm around me shoulders tightened. Before he could do anything else we pulled up to his house. _Why would they drop him off first, and not me, _I wondered. I said nothing in hopes of being clued into what was going on..._Unless..._ Jacob was out of the car, leaning on the door and peering inside at me.

"Come on Taylor." He beckoned. I made no effort to move.

"I have to go home, I-I promised my mother I'd be home," I stammered lamely. This was not happening. I had never stayed over at Jacobs, nor was I planning on it anytime soon. Apparently he had different ideas.

"Get out." When I still made no movements he reached in and grabbed my wrist yanking me out of the vehicle. In the process I smacked my head on the top of the car roof; tears started to fill my eyes. Jacob pulled me close to him and quietly muttered "don't fuckin embarrass me."

I had no choice but to follow him into the house. His house was enormous, probably the nicest mansion on this part of town. He he continued to drag me towards his bedroom; my only hope was that we would become sleepy and pass out from all the alcohol that he'd taken. I contemplated yelling for help; maybe his parents or the staff would hear and come catch us. Instead I followed him up the stairs and into his large bedroom. As soon as he had shut the door I was up against the wall and his hands covered my body.

"Jacob don't-"I tried to push him away but that only made him push against me harder. His teeth scraped against mine and his hands grabbed my body. With all the strength I could muster I pushed him back a few steps. For a moment his face scrunched up into drunken confusion but like the flip of a switch it transformed into rage. Before I could react he slapped my face and grabbed my stomach with his huge hand, knowing full well that my ribs were still hurting.

"Why don't you want me anymore Taylor? Huh? You like that boy's better on the East side?" He snorted his face just inches from mine. His breath reeked terribly and again I felt like I was going to be sick. "Do you want me to do what they did?"

He still had a hold of my arms as he dragged me toward the bed.

"Please Jacob. I'm sorry, just take me home," I pleaded desperately. "We can talk in the morning." He paid no attention to my plea.

He was on top of me now, kissing me roughly as his hands went from my chest to lower down until they reached the top of my skirt. In a matter of seconds he had my skirt pulled down. I sobbed, still pleading with him to stop. It did no use. In my panic I had lost my breath and my will to fight. I laid there limp as he undid his own pants and positioned himself on top of me. I cried softly has he moved himself inside of me.

He'd passed out. Quietly I manoeuvred myself out from his grasp and searched for my skirt. It lay in a crumpled mess near his pants. A chill ran through my body. In the early morning dawn I stole out of the home and began walking down the street towards my own house. No longer able to cry I walked with my head hanging low; feeling dirty and used.


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry it's such a short chapter, I've been really busy. I'm still kind of figuring out where this story is going to go. I have a few ideas though. Please review, any suggestions are welcome.

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own the Outsiders

"Come one Taylor, you haven't left your house in ages. We'll just go to the diner and grab a milkshake. Just for a quick twenty minutes," Mae was standing in the middle of my room, dressed in a short flowered dress with shiny red heels on. She was beautiful and popular with all of the boys, not so much with the girls though. I guess that's why we were such good friends, I could deal with her. It was probably because I didn't have the jealousy issues much of the other girls around here had. She had beautiful long brown locks that flowed halfway down her back. The clothes she wore were expensive supplied by her doting daddy and his high paying attorney job. I was surprised she had even stepped foot in my room, considering it looked a lot like a hurricane swept through, "Everyone's been asking about you."

"Mae- I just don't feel good yet." It wasn't a complete lie as even though my ribs were feeling a lot better and the bruises on my face had all but disappeared, I had a new pain, like something in my soul had been crushed into a million pieces, way beyond repair. Lying in my bed, shutting out the world was the only thing that I felt like doing.

"It's been two weeks, Taylor and no one's talked to you. Mary-Beth told me that her sister Barbara spoke with Danny and he said that you and Jacob had a fight the night of Timmy's party?" Mae spoke so fast she was almost out of breath; she tiptoed through the mess on the floor and flopped on the edge of my bed. She sat still, waiting for an answer that I wasn't ready to give. "Well fine. If you're not going to tell me anything at least just come out for a quick milkshake."

"I don't know Mae..." I didn't want to go; it was as easy as that, it was easier to just stay under the covers. Mae didn't get that, Bradley didn't either. No one did. So I guess that's why I eventually made myself get out of bed. No one understood and I didn't need them judging me anymore than they already would. I would walk right in there with a smile plastered on my face and act like I was the happiest girl in the world. What I didn't expect was to see Jacob there smiling right back at me.

"Mae- I think it's time for me to go," I whispered in her ear. I'd spent the last twenty minutes sitting opposite of him and all the courage I had about walking in with a smile evaporated when I seen his smug face. He on the other hand never stopped smiling. I wasn't sure I could handle being in the crowded diner any longer. I felt smothered, squished between Mae and my other friend Ashley. Everyone asked me how I was feeling and when I answered with a stern "fine," no one said much more. Mae gave me a disapproving look and whispered, "don't be so anti-social" in my ear. I'd avoided his gaze for the whole the time but when someone's face grazed my leg I jerked my head up, locking eyes with Jacob. He continued to rub his foot on my leg. I pushed Ashley off the bench and bolted to the bathroom. Puking my guts out wasn't something I particularly enjoyed but I couldn't keep it down. I heard the door hit the inside bathroom wall as someone came bustling in.

"Taylor? What in god's name is wrong with you?" I replied with a gag. "Taylor?"

Ripping off a wad of toilette paper I wiped my mouth up and picked myself off the floor.

"Just take me home Mae." I walked shakily out of the bathroom and right out of the diner. Not looking anywhere but the door, hoping I could keep it together until I got out of the restaurant. I whipped the door open and bolted outside, looking at my pink sandals. I wasn't looking where I was going in my rush to get outside and in turn ran into a tall hard body. Knocked off balance I almost hit the ground but was saved by two large hands. When I finally got myself straightened up the hands still had a tight grip on my shoulders. My breath caught in my throat when I realized that it was Dallas Winston who I'd run into.

I was still shaking so bad it felt like my mouth couldn't function at all.

"Sor-Sorry." I apologized lamely. Looking up I was surprised to see he was still looking at me, so intensely that I had to look away before my cheeks began to blush. His fingers were still locked on my arms.

"You made it home alive, huh." He laughed a little and I felt myself tense up. His laugh was a little harsh.

Before I could say anything else the door to the diner burst open, Jacob and his friends, followed by a very anxious looking Mae came spilling out, right behind where I stood with Dallas. He still hadn't dropped his hands.

"Hey grease, what do you think you're doing touching our girls like that?" Jacob stepped a few inches closer. _This is not going to go well_, I thought. I removed myself from Dallas's grip and turned to face Jacob.

"It's fine Jacob, there's nothing to fight about." I could tell that he was mad. It looked like his girl didn't care if another boy put their hands on her, which I suppose made me look not that great either.

"Are you kidding me, he isn't worth shit, and he isn't going to be touching my girl. He's got enough of those trashy girls on his side." Apparently I was the only one that knew I was no longer Jacobs's girl. From behind me I heard Dallas let out a string of cuss's. I hoped he didn't intend on trying to fight Jacob and the boys. I mean, he looked tough enough, but the four to one odds wouldn't be in his favour.

"Jacob, just go back inside." I met his eyes. H e was livid and I knew this was the only time I'd be able to officially end things between us, outside, with witnesses.

"No, you're my girl and he-"

"No Jacob I'm not. I'm not your girl." I took another breath, just in case I wouldn't be able to get out everything I needed. "We are done. I don't want to talk to you ever again." I added the last thing in just for good measure. I was shaking again, not sure if it was from being scared or the high I was feeling for finally standing up for myself. No one said anything and Jacob's face was contorted into confusion and disbelief. He reached for my arm but before he could grab it I jumped back.

"Taylor...I'm sorry, I really am." This, I wasn't expecting.

"I-no Jacob-I'm sorry...I" Once it came out my mouth I was instantly regretful. Why was I apologizing, I'd done nothing wrong.

"Taylor please." He had a pleading tone in his voice. I wondered how sincere it truly was. I looked at the other boys faces and at Mae's and realized that I was about to look like the bad one know. I was the one that was being heartless and ending things with him. He had done that on purpose, he wasn't sorry.

"No Jacob-"

"Fine you are just a little bitch anyway. Go hang out around them scum. Get pregnant and have ten kids and live in a trailer for all I care. You're finished here, you can count on that. No one's going to want to go anywhere near you after you're around that shit." He spit the words at me so fast he nearly ran out of breath. His chest was pumping up and down. I took a few more steps back just to ensure I wasn't within his striking range. He turned on his heels, the rest of the boys following. Mae caught my eyes and for a moment there I thought she was going to come over towards me but she too followed Jacob back into the diner. I couldn't much blame her. It was almost too much for me to handle and I whipped around heading in the direction of my car. Tears were filling the brims of my eyes and I wanted to get as far away as I possibly could. Unfortunately, for the second time that day, Dallas was standing in my way.

"Sorry, I'm sorry." I mumbled trying to push past him. This time he let me go but as I was walking away I heard him say,

"You say sorry too much." I looked over my shoulder, ready with a retort but he was already walking in the opposite direction.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own the Outsiders, only the characters you do not recognize.

It was five on Thursday and I was holed up in my bedroom, working on an English essay. School had been a nightmare. I hadn't seen Jacob yet, the direct result of me sneaking from class to class and hiding out in the bathrooms during breaks. Luckily we weren't in any of the same classes this semester. I had however seen Mae, and even though she'd seen me as well she hadn't bothered to come say hello. It was alright though, I didn't feel like talking to anyone much anyway.

Word got around that I had broken things off with Jacob and that was it. I was sure he'd be making up rumours about why I'd dumped him any time now. I guess Bradley hadn't heard about the incident last weekend outside the diner. I hoped it would stay that way. I was sure I'd heard a girl talking about Jacob's pregnant ex-girlfriend and silently thanked that Bradley hadn't heard that one either.

I heard the quick stomps of my mother's feet climb the stairs. Without knocking she burst into my room.

"You broke up with Jacob." She stared me right in the eyes, demanding an answer. I knew the one I'd have to give her wasn't the one that she was wanting. Another disappointment was all it was.

"Yes."

"Why would you do such a thing?" She looked heartbroken. I felt bad, I felt bad because I'd just added another disappointment to the long and growing list.

"It-It just wasn't...working, mother. Please try to understand." I looked pleadingly into her eyes. Begging her to show some compassion, maybe even give me a hug and tell me it would be alright. Instead she gave me on final disapproving glare and walked out of my bedroom. "Get this room cleaned."

I wished, so bad that it hurt, that I could talk to her about my problems. About Jacob, and what he'd done to me. I also wanted to talk to her about Dallas. Someone I'd found myself thinking about unusual amount for the last few days. I knew I shouldn't, he was a greaser and I he wasn't ever going to be in my life again. Then again I thought that was the case the first time I'd met him. It was silly to be thinking about him, I didn't even know what kind of person he was. All I knew was his name and that he obviously didn't have his own home. I also knew that he looked dangerous, not in the scary way but in a reckless, mysterious way. Like he did what he wanted, and nobody could stop him. I also thought he looked a little sad, his eyes only showing harsh emotions. Other than my own assumptions I knew nothing, not his age, nothing. Did he even know my name?

The next day at school was maybe one of the worst I'd ever had. It was fifth period study hall and I had been staring at my paper for the last five minutes, not having an ambition to work at it. What was the point? I'd get passed, no matter how crummy my work was. The teachers would never fail any of us Socs. It was unfair and I felt a little guilty about it but it wasn't my fault. I couldn't do anything about it and I wasn't about to ask for a failing grade.

It started when I heard my name spoken by some girl. I didn't look up, not having enough confidence to face whoever it was.

"Yeah he totally broke up with her. She was cheating on him, didn't you know, with some greaser boy." Another girl spoke up.

"What? That isn't true Mary-Ann." Oh no. The third voice I heard just was my brothers, I hadn't even noticed that he was in the study hall.

"Yeah well that's what I heard to Brad. Looks like your sisters turning into a bit of a whore." One of my brother's football teammates and friend scoffed.

"Shut up Nathan, It isn't true. My sister would never do that." He seemed embarrassed and at that moment I felt like crawling under the table and dying.

"Bradley It is. I just talked to Ashley and she was there when it all happened. Right outside the diner." Mary-Ann, a girl in my brother's grade spoke up again. So Ashley was spreading these rumours. I wasn't surprised though, she was never really a reliable friend. Then again I'd never had a reliable friend. Mae was close, but it was obvious at that I wouldn't be able to count on her either. It hurt knowing that my friends had betrayed me. If only they knew what really happened.

I'd had enough of listening to their gossiping chatter so I rose from my seat quietly in attempt to get out of the room unnoticed.

I had just about made it to the door when I felt a hand grab my shoulder. It was Bradley.

"Hey I didn't see you in here." He was looking at me as though he was begging me to deny what he'd heard. "I uh- I heard you and Jacob broke up."He left the rest of the story up to me, and as I looked behind him to the watchful stares of his friends I knew I had no choice.

"I broke up with him, Bradley." He didn't say anything. "I-just-It wasn't right."

"Well what is right for you then?" I jumped a little at the loudness of his voice. I knew he probably wouldn't understand, but this I was not expecting.

"Jacob please-this is hard enough with everyone making up rumours."

"Oh so you heard them. Well most of these people seem to think they are the truth? They think you cheated on him with some other boy, some boy from the East side." He grabbed my arm leading me into the hallway so his friends were out of earshot. "I just joined the football team Tay, how do you think this makes me look."

"Makes you look! Bradley I'm telling you the truth-"

"What's the truth Taylor? You broke up with him on Sunday and I'm only hearing about it today and from someone other than my own sister."

"If they aren't your sister they shouldn't be saying anything about it!" I was on the verge of crying now, I wanted so bad to tell him what happened. Why I had ended things with Jacob. How I just wanted a hug, how I just wanted to feel safe. How I just wanted Bradley to punch Jacobs guts out. But, I couldn't tell him. I felt too ashamed; the words were caught in my throat as though they weren't meant to be spoken aloud ever again.

Instead of telling Bradley the real truth I shook off his grasp, ignored his calls and ran down the hallway. Tears blinded my sight, and I ran until I could run no more. I slumped against the wall of the school and held my head in my arms. My life was falling apart at the seams. I was suddenly friendless, boyfriend less and even my own family was ashamed of me.

"Are you uh-okay?"

In front of me, stood a skinny boy with light brown slicked back hair. His jeans were a little tight and the ends came up above his ankles. He seemed a little nervous, but not threatening type. His face was too soft for that.

"Not really," _Why could I tell the truth now?_ The boy sat down against the wall beside me. Sniffling I wiped my tears away. "I'll be okay though."

He kept looking at me like he was trying to place me somewhere, or maybe he just didn't know what to say.

"You don't look like you're going to be okay," the tears began to fall again, knowing I looked like a fool I didn't bother to reply. I didn't have much to say either, I couldn't deny it.

"I'm Ponyboy,"

Before I could stop myself I let out a cracked laugh. I looked up, horrified at what I'd done. He stared at me for a few moments and I began to feel even worse. He was the only person that had been decent to me in a long time and I'd gone and insulted him.

"Well at least you ain't cryin' no more." He chuckled a little and with it I felt the mood suddenly warm up.

"Sorry," The kid seemed alright, he was sure polite. "It's actually kind of a cute name, real original."

"My dad picked it out, I got brother named Sodapop." he told me proudly.

I giggled again, and I realized that my eyes were finally drying up. "That's real cute. My names Taylor."

"Huh," he seemed kind of confused.

"I know, it sounds like a boy's name. My parents wanted a boy I guess." The school bell rang and startled both of us. I leapt to me feet and took a step forward but stopped abruptly, where was I going to go? Ponyboy seemed to notice my hesitation as he stood up as well, facing me.

"Do ya wanna come over to my house for awhile? You can hang out with me and some friends till brothers get home. They guys are real tuff." He asked excitedly.

_Tough, is that a good thing_? However, when I saw Jacob strolling out of the front doors with Ashley hanging off his arm my mind was made up quick.

"Sounds good Ponyboy."

Thanks for all the reviews! Don't be scared to say what you think. Keep them coming :)


	6. Chapter 6

I just reposted this chapter because there was waaay to many errors and some things didn't flow they way I'd intended them too. Sorry, my proofreading skills are terrible! Anyway hope you enjoy this chapter :)

Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders.

We'd only been walking for a short while but I was surprised at how quickly the environment was changing. Most of the homes were only one level and so squished together that you could probably shake hands with the person in the opposite window. A few houses had windows covered by huge pieces of wood. The majority of the lawns were overgrown and covered with trash, and those that were trimmed looked strangely out of place.

I was aware that greasers were poor, but I couldn't help but wonder how anyone could live like this. I pulled my sweater tighter around my body and continued walking in step beside Ponyboy. He was sure nice, and easy to talk to. While walking we chatted about him being on the track team and what actors we liked the best.

A few minutes later as the landscape began to further deteriorate I realized that even though Ponyboy was really nice, I had made another poor decision. I'd met a boy and was following him right into the East side. Hadn't I learned anything from being jumped? Obviously not. Sighing, I made up my mind to continue on, it was too late for me to turn around now, and I didn't want to hurt Ponyboy's feelings either. Truly, anything was better than seeing Jacob or Bradley right now anyway.

"That's it, right up there." He pointed towards a decent looking, one story house. The paint on the side of the house was peeling and there were a few pieces of junk, old car parts maybe, lying around. The door was unlocked and Ponyboy walked right in, allowing a weak haze of smoke and noise to drift outside.

"Don't bother with your shoes," Ponyboy muttered as he looked over his shoulder at me. I however had already removed one loafer and took off the other anyway.

The inside was nice, more homely than anything. There was a matching couch set with a TV planted in the middle. The couches looked like they were probably very nice at the time of purchase but their quality decreased as time had worn on. Picture frames, highlighting a happy family were hung all over the living room. Seeing the family portraits reminded me of Bradley. I shuddered thinking about how angry he was today.

Things went a little downhill when I glanced at the floor; I wished I'd listened to Ponyboy. My white knee high socks would be in no condition to wear after I walked across this house. Taking in a deep breath I took a tentative step forward.

"Ponyboy, whose the good lookin broad?" a boy, wearing a blue Mickey Mouse shirt asked while giving me the once over. His eyebrows were arched, and his mouth was twisted into an amused smirk. I, of course, blushed.

"Her names Taylor, and don't be buggin her Two-Bit." Ponyboy snapped at the boy who was apparently named Two-Bit. I don't think he needed to worry though, this Two-Bit character didn't look like he'd hurt a fly. Although it might have been the shirt he was wearing that made him look so innocent.

"So Taylor what grade ya in?" Two-Bit asked. Before I could answer the front door swung open and two more greaser boys came tumbling in. Heat crept up into my cheeks as I realized how handsome the first boy was. The other was handsome as well, just a little less defined. Both were wearing DX shirts. They pushed each other around for a bit more until they realized that there was an extra person in the house.

"Hey, aren't you—why are you—"as soon as the first boy spoke I completely understood why he seemed so lost for words. I could never forget that voice even if I tried.

"Thank-you so much, if you hadn't come along..." I didn't finish my sentence, I didn't have to, they knew what would have happened.

"No problem, are you okay though?" he smiled at me and I felt like my heart was gonna melt. I'd never seen such white beautiful teeth before. What a smile! From behind me Ponyboy let out a long, "ohhh."

"I was wondering why you looked so familiar Taylor." Ponyboy had been there too? Two-Bit finally looked away from the television, confusion written all over his face.

"Ya'll know each other?" he asked

"No, we don't," came from the second boy to come in. He was still giving me a funny look. I looked away quickly not wanting to meet his eyes.

"Remember how we were telling you about that girl that the Brumely boys were beatin up, the one we took to Bucks, that's her!" The first boy exclaimed excitedly. He turned to face me again. "I'm Sodapop by the way. This here's Steve, and it looks like you already met my brother Pony and Two-Bit."

I smiled and nodded. "My names Taylor," I backed up a little and took a seat on the end of the couch. This was a lot to take in. So Ponyboy and his brother Sodapop had been the one's to save me.

"All I can say is thank-you so much Sodapop and Ponyboy." I stood up and gave each a quick little hug and then sat myself back on the couch.

"Hey, I was there to." I stood up, I guess in an effort to give the other boy, Steve, a hug too. He saw me coming though, "I don't need no hug."

I sat back down again, fidgeting with the creases of my skirt.

"So what are you doin over here again?" It was a simple question, but I was just about as dumbfounded as everyone else in the room, excluding Ponyboy.

"She was havin a rough time at school so I offered her a place to hang out for awhile." Ponyboy was now in the process of stuffing something that resembled a sandwich into his mouth. Soda and Two-Bit also made their way to the kitchen so I was basically left all alone with Steve. He didn't look none to impressed by me. I coughed a little, breaking the harsh silence.

Standing up I flattened my skirt and walked into the kitchen, "Ponyboy, can I use your bathroom?" He didn't reply right away but Soda and Two-Bit looked at each other and let out a sting of laughter. Pony looked down at his feet.

"Uhh- sure," he pointed down the narrow hallway, "It's the first door to your left."

Just as I was about to reach the door Ponyboy called my name. "Taylor! Uhh—sorry If the bathrooms not so clean. It's just us boys that live here and we don't really clean up to often."

Stepping into the bathroom my first thought was that Ponyboy was right, they didn't clean too often, but I also knew I'd seen worse. My own room resembled something of this state. I did, however, place a few pieces of toilette paper on the seat.

I fixed my hair, and while looking in the mirror I couldn't help but scrutinize my face. Was my nose really that big? Did my complexion always look so splotchy? The bang of the front door slamming brought me out of my thoughts. More people? Tucking a few loose strands of hair behind my ears I ventured out into the hallways not really sure what to expect.

"He Dal, you're never gonna guess whose here." Soda mumbled excitedly, all the while chewing on some kind of food.

"Who is it," he spoke, sounding bored. At that moment I stepped into the living from, making my entrance.

"Dally that's that girl—Remember?" Soda pointed to me excitedly.

"Yeah, I remember." He was staring at me, and my heart sped up about ten times faster.

"Hey Dallas." My words came out quiet, intended for just him, but I'm sure everyone else heard as well.

"What the hell is this soc broad doing here?" Dallas said after a few moments. I was taken aback by his harsh words and again I was blushing furiously. I knew I was labelled as a soc, but Ponyboy didn't seem to mind, neither did his brother.

"Ponyboy invited me over," I looked over to Pony hopefully, who only looked down at his feet.

"That kid never uses his head." Dally was still staring at me. He looked just as good as I remembered and it took all my will to stop staring into his big, blue eyes.

"I should probably be going now, thanks Pony. You too guys, thanks for everything," waving to Soda and Two-bit I turned walking towards the door.

"You shouldn't be walking by yourself Taylor," Two-Bit said, this time with an unnaturally serious look on his face.

"I'll walk her." Ponyboy spoke up.

"Alright, don't be too long Pony. Be careful." Soda looked worried, which I didn't really understand. Wasn't this his own neighbourhood?

I gathered enough courage to look back into the house as I was leaving. Dallas was still standing in the middle of the room, staring out the door at me. Boy, did he ever look good.

Dallas's POV

What was this, the third time? It was the third time I'd run into this broad. She just kept popping up in the places she shouldn't be. First in my own room at Buck's and then that time outside the diner and now at the god damn Curtis house. I'd been working real hard to get her face out of my memory and then this shit happens. Granted, her face did look a lot better, and lot prettier. The bruises were gone. Her skirt could've been a little shorter though...

If I was trying my best at anything, it would be trying not to think about her.

She was a mystery though, and I hate mysteries. Why had she been walking all alone the night she got all beat up. What happened outside the diner with that asshole of a boyfriend? Before I could become anymore confused Sodapops worried voice brought me out of my day dreaming.

"I shouldn't have let Ponyboy take her by himself." Soda muttered, pacing the living room.

"That girls just gonna get him in a heap of trouble, she don't even get it. She probably don't even care" Steve spat out bitterly.

"Why you so worried Soda, Ponyboy can handle his own. Couple socs won't keep him down." Two-Bit tried to reassure Soda.

"It ain't just the socials I'm worried about. Those Brumely boys were sure angry at that girl, and they were none too happy with us for helping her-,"

"-And they've been at it with Shepard's gang, doubt they would have any problem causing trouble with us." Steve added.

"So basically if they come across any of those boys, Ponyboy and Taylor don't stand a chance." Two-Bit said out loud, trying to get all the facts straight. No one spoke for a moment. This was not a good situation and everyone in the room knew it.

Without saying a word I got up from the arm chair and strode out the front door.

TAYLORS POV

"Sorry about that Taylor, Dally's harsh sometimes. Steve too, but there both good guys." He looked genuinely sorry but I couldn't help myself and laughed out loud at his statement. Steve seemed like a _great_ guy.

"It's alright Pony. Thanks for inviting my over though; it was nice to get away from everything for awhile." I was serious. It had been nice to get away from the normality of the West side. Even though I still felt unsure, I completely trusted that Ponyboy was a sincere friend. Something about him just radiated outwards. "I hope we can still be friends."

His face seemed to light up instantly "Sure and you'll have to meet Johnny. He's usually over at our house too, not sure where he got to. He's a real tuff guy."

"I can't wait." And I couldn't wait; the excitement in my voice wasn't anything near the fake stuff I'd been pulling lately. I wasn't so sure about seeing Dallas again, hopefully I could avoid that. He obviously didn't like me and I knew he wasn't nothing but trouble. _But_, there was something about him though that constantly invaded my thoughts, something I had no control over-

"Curtis who's the broad." The voice sent shivers through my body and my feet stopped moving, planting me on the sidewalk. Slowly I turned my head to see who was behind us, letting out a gasp when I got a glimpse.

"Just leave us alone." Ponyboy muttered, who was now turned around facing them. I could see a little bead of sweat forming on his brow. His eyes jolted to mine, and his lips formed the word run. I couldn't though; I had been paralyzed by fear.

"Carl, ain't that the little bitch that tried to bite off you're brothers tongue,"

"It is, ain't it?" There were four of them, and all four were inching closer.

Ponyboy shoved me forward, "Run!"

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	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own the Outsider :(

The day's that were the hardest were the days that Bradley wasn't home. I guess my father felt he could say or do anything. I found myself staying in my room for long periods of time, or finding any excuse to go out with Mae or Jacob. I would do just about anything to get out of his path of violence. But when Bradley was home, he hardly every raised his voice at me; it was almost like he ignored my existence.

At this moment I longed for Bradley. I wished more than ever that he would be that brother that I'd always known him to be. But as I ran, and felt myself being caught, I realized that I was alone, with no one to help me.

"Stop fucking running or I'll cut you up so bad that no one will ever recognize you." The boy had his hands wrapped around my waist, my body trembling under his touch. I caught the silver glint of a blade in his right hand.

Back down the sidewalk Ponyboy was being held down by two of the boys one peering down at him, a sneer on his face. A few seconds later I was sickened by the sound of flesh hitting flesh. Ponyboy fought to get out of the boy's grip but it was no use. The boy punched him once in the face and twice in the stomach and then backed off, beckoning the boy who had been holding onto me. Following his instructions the boy hauled me over the others.

"Get up Curtis." The boy that seemed to be their leader instructed. Ponyboy stood up shakily and wave of guilt rushed over me. It was my fault that he had gotten hurt. "I ain't gonna do no more to you, and its only cause who you're family and friends are, now get out of here."

I wished that he wouldn't leave, boy did I wish. I knew that he had no choice, but I wished all the same.. Maybe he'd run back and get help. Would they make it in time?

For a moment it seemed like Ponyboy wasn't going to go as his were wide and he hadn't taken one step. He looked at me for a moment and I could see that he felt terrible.

"I said get the fuck out of here!" at that Ponyboy turned around and started to run back towards his own house. We hadn't been walking to far so maybe he'd be able to get help after all.

I felt hopelessly scared. I did not want to go through all that hurt and I didn't want to feel dirty again. I didn't bother yelling for help, I was smart enough this time to know where that would get me. The boy still holding onto my released me with no warning and I fell to the ground.

"This is what happens when you mess with the wrong people." Their leaders sneered in my direction. I was wearing a black leather jacket with jeans that had too many rips in them.

"Please-i'm sorry." Here I was, begging again. It didn't do my any good because he answered my plead with a kick to my stomach. I coughed and sputtered, sure that what I'd eaten last was going to end up all over me. How was this happening, how did everything go downhill so fast. I hadn't done anything so bad to deserve this, had I? I always tried to be the best I could, to make my parent's proud. I'd been a good girlfriend and an even better sister. I'd never said a rude word to any of these greasers's or made any difference in lives. But here I was, far from the comfort of the west side, lying broken on the ground. Closing my eyes in defeat, I allowed myself to fade into the darkness that had been slowly creeping up on me for the last few weeks.

"You better get the fuck away from her." Dallas? I knew that voice. My eyes flew open. It was Dallas. He was here. But, he was alone and the odds still weren't in either of our favour.

"Or what Winston?" the leader challenged. Dallas scoffed at the boy's suggestion, his eyes darting back and forth between them all, not once glancing at me.

"Or you'll regret it." He spat out through clenched teeth.

"Why are all you so damn worried about this broad, she ain't nothing special."

"You know what." Dallas took a few calm steps forward, all the while his face twisted with anger. "I'm sick of talking with you idiots."

Before anyone knew what was happening Dallas punched the boy square in the head, knocking him out cold. Dallas's victim fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

The two other boy's stepped in between Dallas and I creating a further gap. One delivered a hard punch to Dallas's stomach. He stumbled a few feet backwards but regained his balance quickly, blocking the next hit.

While this was happening I was being yanked further down the street. I tried planting my feet on the cement but my attacker pulled so hard I cried out in pain.

"Dallas," I sobbed, knowing full well that there was no chance he could get to me now. We turned down the back alley, Dallas and the other two boys no longer visible.

"You're not going to get away with this." I was surprised at my words, did I really believe that? The boy who was in the process of kidnapping me seemed to though. He was sweating bullets and muttering curse words under his breath.

"Shut up-just shut up!" he screamed, striking me in the face. Clutching my face I fell against the building. He punched me in the stomach and swore a few more times. Letting out a cry of pain I sank to the ground, and put my arms out in front of my face, bracing myself for the next hit. It never came though. Someone had run into the alley and ripped the greaser away from where he was standing over me. My rescuer punched him in the stomach until he fell to the ground. Still not done he picked up the boy and wound up to punch him on the side of the head. Grabbing the collar of his shirt he whispered roughly in the his ear.

"I ever see your face around here again I'm going to make sure you don't have the chance every again."

He was released and the boy stumbled down the back alley, soon disappearing from sight. The boy who still remained sauntered over to where I was still huddled. Reaching down he gently pulled me into a standing position, inches away from his own body. I leaned forward, grateful for his support as my legs still felt like jell-o.

"Thanks Dallas." I murmured through my tears. I could feel his hot breath on my face; his chest was still pumping up and down from the excitement of the fight.

"Where you hurt?" he mouth barely moved and his eyes were still staring into my own. He lifted his hand to my face, his fingers grazing the newly tender spot on my cheek. A shock ran through my body at his touch.

"My-my ribs,"

His had moved from my cheek to my midsection. His fingers burned through my sweater as his hands gently touched my stomach. When his head bent down to reach mine and when our mouths connected my body automatically melted into his, a perfect fit. His lips were gentle, but at the same time demanding.

From somewhere in the distance I heard the pounding of feet getting closer so I reluctantly pulled away. Dallas reached forward searching for my lips and when he didn't find them his eye's popped open, boring into mine.

Just when I thought all hope was lost, Dallas Winston ignited something deep inside of me.

-Sorry this chapters so short. It's better than nothing though, right? Review please :)


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